Sudden Answer
by Crescent Matrix
Summary: I watched her for two whole years. She was crying, her heart was.


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

'The cherry blossoms are falling...' she thought as she looked at the cherry blossoms floating everywhere. The scene was beautiful; cherry blossoms trees adorned the area, their blossoms following the wind, and a single old-fashioned bench with leafy green frames stood in the middle. Sakura sat there, staring at the pleasant scene before her with an empty look in her eyes. 'Ino... I haven't bloomed at all... I'm still a bud like you said... but now I'm already withering...' She sighed as she closed her eyes, remembering the Uchiha's last words before leaving Konoha, and her. 

_'Sakura... thank you...' Sasuke said softly as he reappeared behind her. Sakura's eyes widened. Never had she expected him to say such words to her. She was expecting a 'You're annoying. Can you not get in my way?', but it was not so. She turned around, wanting to see in his eyes if he was sincere or not, but she slowly saw her sight fade to black, for the Uchiha had hit her unconscious.  
_

* * *

He was watching her. Every day after training, he passed the field and he would watch her intently, second by second. This was his routine ever since the Uchiha left the village. He would spend many hours just watching her from the distance. He would always have an inner argument, to whether he should approach her or not. But it always ended when he stared at her eyes. They were empty. Empty emerald orbs staring at nothingness. He didn't know why he couldn't bring himself to go to her, or to leave her there. He didn't know what reason he has to just keep staying there with her in that distance, every single day. He just...did. 

Sakura knew he was there. Ever since she started her own routine of just sitting on that bench and staring at nowhere, she knew. She felt him, but she didn't mind it. She didn't care as long as she could sit down on that bench and stare at what seemed to be an empty space for her, but a beautiful scene to others. For hours, every day, she felt him stare at her. Sakura had gotten used to it, and was never even bothered by it in the first place.

* * *

It was raining. Heavy drops of crystal collided with the soft grass. She stared up at the sky of gray clouds. The cherry blossom trees were bare. Raindrops pitter-pattered on the wooden bench where she sat. Sakura's hands were on her lap, her usual pose as she did her routine. Then she felt him again. He was staring at her again.

'He's here again... I wonder if he ever gets tired of just watching me, a withering bud.' she thought. The time passed slower than before. Was it because of the rain? They heard the raindrops pitter-patter. They waited for the rain to stop. They were just waiting for time to pass.

For the first time, he slowly walked toward her, clad in his soaked coat and long khaki shorts. As he reached her, he sat beside him. The petal-haired kunoichi didn't mind him, but inside was surprised at his first ever attempt.

"Haruno-san..." he whispered. Sakura heard him, and turned her head to face him. Sakura knew that this was unusual to him since he was mostly quiet and only said important things straight to the point.

"Aburame-san..." she nodded in her greeting, placing a smile on her face. He knew it was fake, like all those other smiles she plastered on her face as she moved along the crowded streets of Konoha, greeting every person she knew with that same smile on her face.

"It's raining..." he started. "A medical ninja can't afford to get sick."

"A-ah... that's true! Ahahaha! But the rain felt very good, so I decided to stay here." she laughed. He knew that was fake as well. "What are you doing out here, Shino-san?" she asked him.

"Why?" Sakura blinked at him. He wouldn't normally answer with a question.

"W-well, I was only asking..." her voice trailed down.

"No, I meant why are you crying?"

"C-crying? Shino-san, I'm not crying."

"No, but inside you are." This silenced Sakura. "Why are you letting Uchiha Sasuke affect you this much? Why are you faking your happiness, your smiles, and your laughter?" Sakura's eyes widened at this, thinking of how he had seen through her, how he had read her crystal clear like an open book.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Shino-san." She diverted her eyes from his figure. 'How does he know? How can he... see through me? How can he see past that mask when nobody else can?' Questions were running inside her head.

"Why do you... love him?" There was silence between them. Tears began to form in Sakura's eyes.

"Shino-san..." she spoke. "Love can have no reason at all..." Sakura answered.

"... ..." Shino sat beside her, silent. He suddenly stood up, to Sakura's dismay, who thought that he would be leaving. But then, Sakura felt something cover her sleeveless arms. Shino offered his coat on her. Sakura took her time looking at Shino's form. A gold chain hung around his neck and he wore a plain black shirt underneath the coat of his. His arms were slightly muscular, and his abdominal muscles were seen through his shirt. She looked up to him, her face bewildered at his sudden behavior. "Medical ninjas can't afford to get sick. Even if my coat is a bit soaked, it'll help keep you warm." Sakura blushed at his last sentence.

'I was never treated like this, or... I guess I refused this treatment most of the time.' Sakura thought, the face of Naruto and Lee in her mind. "T-Thank you, Shino-san." She looked down to hide her face in embarrassment. Shino put away his sunglasses with his hand. Sakura stared at his hand wherein his sunglasses was hanging. Slowly, she looked up at him and went to face his beautiful hazel eyes, his face, that of a handsome youth. Then she was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace by the hand. Her eyes widened once more.

"Love can have no reason at all, you said... For two years, I've been watching you ever since he left... At least give me a chance... let me at least love you..." Tears fell from her eyes as he spoke. She put her arms around his neck and wept. This time, it was not for the Uchiha who had left her heart broken, even with his last kind words to her. This time, it was for her happiness. "Now I know the reason why I kept coming back..." Shino muttered. They broke their embrace. Sakura wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at him. This time, Shino knew it was not fake. She held his hand tight.

"Thank you... Shino-kun." Once again, she thanked him. Shino squeezed her hand reassuringly. And from then on, Sakura kept coming there every day. She was not alone this time, but with Shino, and her eyes was always shimmering with happiness. Even so, never did Shino once throw away his sunglasses and Sakura knew why and she was happy with it.

'My eyes are for yours only...'


End file.
